What's Open & What's Closed On Presidents Day In RI?

NEWPORT, RI — Presidents Day is celebrated Monday. Originally, it was declared a holiday in honor of George Washington. Per the federal government, it's still officially George Washington's Birthday. But in 1968, Congress voted to move the holiday to the third Monday in February (partly to reduce highway accidents). That law took effect in 1971 and left Lincoln's Birthday, which some states celebrated and some did not, in holiday limbo. So people began calling the federal holiday Presidents Day and assumed the update was made to include Abraham Lincoln. (No, said The New York Times back in 2011, but the paper also called attempts the clarify the Lincoln/ Washington situation "a lost cause." So it's a lost cause plus seven years now.)

The name switch has sparked endless debates about the proper use of the apostrophe (President's, Presidents' or the winner, Presidents) as well as about how many presidents are actually being honored.

And the RIPTA buses also don't observe Presidents Day. So there's no holiday schedule.

What's Closed

• Public schools
• DPW
• Public libraries
• Senior Center
• City Hall
• Post offices
• Most banks will be closed to observe the holiday

What's Open

The following will be open at the business owner's discretion:

• Restaurants
• Convenience stores
• Liquor stores
• Retail stores

Mike Carraggi (Patch Staff) contributed to this report.

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